Tonight's Fla. Lotto drawing first to let players increase jackpot

Mar 5, 2008, 2:08 pm (26 comments)

Florida Lottery

Also first drawing to use new playslips

Lotto players who buy their tickets on the day of the drawing need to give themselves a few extra minutes to get tickets for tonight's drawing.  Tonight's is the first drawing since the Florida Lottery made changes to Lotto and the old play slips no longer work.

The big change is that players can spend $1 or $2 extra to increase the size of the Lotto jackpot.

Tonight's jackpot is $3 million and a $1 play buys a chance to win that amount — or a chance to share in it if more than one ticket wins. A player who spends $2 on a single set of numbers is going for a $13 million jackpot and a player who wagers $3 on a single set of numbers is going for a $28 million pot.

A check of retailers around Central Florida indicates players are much more aggravated by having to fill out new play slips than they are anxious to spend an extra dollar or two to increase the size of the jackpot.

Switching numbers from an old play slip to a new one isn't simple because the number grids are different.

The odds of picking all six numbers are 1 in 22,957,480, according to the Lottery.

Orlando Sentinel

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JackpotWanna's avatarJackpotWanna

WOW!~~~~~~~~~~What a great idea!!!!!!!!!

 

Party

benmas's avatarbenmas

for the players the goal is to win jackpot...if you win jackpot you have already achieved your goal (becoming millionaire, no having to work, retiring etc) even at the $3 mill level......to put in the extra bucks means you are going for gravy money which comes after the original intended target....since it is so hard to win the jackpot (1:22mill ) in my opinion the extra dollar is better spent on an additional set of numbers...

NYSlugger 777's avatarNYSlugger 777

Quote: Originally posted by JackpotWanna on Mar 5, 2008

WOW!~~~~~~~~~~What a great idea!!!!!!!!!

 

Party

I disagree .

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What a nice way for Florida to fatten lottery reserves and their coffers.It sounds good for lottery players but its not.

Because while spending the extra dollar or two it will add to the jackpot win "if"(rememember the BIG "IF") you win the jackpot.However this new method of spending an extra buck or two does not alter your odds of hitting that jacpot the odds of winning the jackpot is still the same(spending the extra buck or two does not lower your odds of winning)!And those odds stand at greater than 22 million to one.Lets face it you only need one dollar to hit a jackpot and win millions,Why pay double or triple that amount to attempt to beat the same high odds for the extra millions?It is ridiclous because  for over 30 years we've played our hard earned bucks, yet never hit the jackpot .So why would anyone believe that you could now hit the lottery with $2 or $3 on your one ticket?Put this situation into prespective if you wheeled 18 lotto numbers for a cost of say $42.00 to try to win a twenty million dollar jackpot,why would you wheel that very same 18 ball arrays for DOUBLE! $$84.00 or even triple $126.00 just to gain an extra $10 or even $25 mil?How many system players can afford that kind of extra cost?Youve already got a fine jackpot at 20 million dollars with your $42 dollar system so really whats the difference?Now if you lose,which is the normal in lotto(because no one hits the jackpot 95% of the time) then you will be losing double and triple your money in the process!!And thats whats so silly about this idea.It seems Florida is pandering to the greed of its players who dare to dream big dreams of winning mega mega millions.They and perhaps some $1 per drawing players,are the only ones who will in dulge in wagering that extra $2 or $3 wager.Not the regular player who wants to be in it to win it.The one who studys the game and then uses systems to play his/her picks.I wouldnt even spend an extra dime on this idea because it only takes one buck to win millions and that single buck can do life altering things for me.So why would I put $2 or $3 on a single bet??Silly idea isnt it....

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This crap is similar to the crappy, lucky sums feature new york added to its pick 3 and win 4.Lucky sums is where you spend an extra dollar on a 3 digit number and win a low prize about 12 bucks.....oh and if your 3 digit number is wrong you win nothing.

JackpotWanna's avatarJackpotWanna

Quote: Originally posted by NYSlugger 777 on Mar 5, 2008

I disagree .

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What a nice way for Florida to fatten lottery reserves and their coffers.It sounds good for lottery players but its not.

Because while spending the extra dollar or two it will add to the jackpot win "if"(rememember the BIG "IF") you win the jackpot.However this new method of spending an extra buck or two does not alter your odds of hitting that jacpot the odds of winning the jackpot is still the same(spending the extra buck or two does not lower your odds of winning)!And those odds stand at greater than 22 million to one.Lets face it you only need one dollar to hit a jackpot and win millions,Why pay double or triple that amount to attempt to beat the same high odds for the extra millions?It is ridiclous because  for over 30 years we've played our hard earned bucks, yet never hit the jackpot .So why would anyone believe that you could now hit the lottery with $2 or $3 on your one ticket?Put this situation into prespective if you wheeled 18 lotto numbers for a cost of say $42.00 to try to win a twenty million dollar jackpot,why would you wheel that very same 18 ball arrays for DOUBLE! $$84.00 or even triple $126.00 just to gain an extra $10 or even $25 mil?How many system players can afford that kind of extra cost?Youve already got a fine jackpot at 20 million dollars with your $42 dollar system so really whats the difference?Now if you lose,which is the normal in lotto(because no one hits the jackpot 95% of the time) then you will be losing double and triple your money in the process!!And thats whats so silly about this idea.It seems Florida is pandering to the greed of its players who dare to dream big dreams of winning mega mega millions.They and perhaps some $1 per drawing players,are the only ones who will in dulge in wagering that extra $2 or $3 wager.Not the regular player who wants to be in it to win it.The one who studys the game and then uses systems to play his/her picks.I wouldnt even spend an extra dime on this idea because it only takes one buck to win millions and that single buck can do life altering things for me.So why would I put $2 or $3 on a single bet??Silly idea isnt it....

--------------------------------------------------------------------

This crap is similar to the crappy, lucky sums feature new york added to its pick 3 and win 4.Lucky sums is where you spend an extra dollar on a 3 digit number and win a low prize about 12 bucks.....oh and if your 3 digit number is wrong you win nothing.

I would try 3 sets of $3 for $9

$28 million come my way!

Todd's avatarTodd

I actually think this is a great idea, for a few reasons.

  1. It gives players a choice of raising the jackpot without making the game more difficult to win.  If you're like me, you love when Mega Millions or Powerball try to make the jackpots larger, but you hate when they make the game harder to win in order to achieve it.
  2. The Florida Lotto jackpot gets hit often, because it is such a popular game, with relatively good odds of winning.  (And because MM and PB are not available in the state.)  Thus, the jackpot often stays on the low-end.  Players can now bump it up on their own.
  3. They didn't change the game.  Did I already say that?  Well, it's worth mentioning again.
  4. It's like the multipliers in other states, except it bumps up the jackpot instead of the lower-tier prizes.  Isn't that a good thing?
  5. This is like buying multiple Pick 4 tickets with the same straight combination.  Except instead of just doubling the prize if you win, this will more than triple tonight's $3 million jackpot if you hit all six numbers (for one extra dollar), or will multiply the jackpot by more than 9 times for an extra $2.  (I know it's not a multiplier per-se, but if you think in those terms for this $3 million jackpot, that's exactly what you're looking at.)

I think this will be very popular, and even more so after someone wins the increased jackpot.  Look for other states to add something similar.

justxploring's avatarjustxploring

I agree with NYSlugger.  I think it's a terrible idea.  They are dangling a carrot in front of people, tempting them to spend more money on a game that has 1 in 23M odds.  If the lower tier prizes were increased, it might be different, but with $30 scratch-offs, $20 raffles and $3 Lotto tickets, soon the lottery will be only for 2 groups of people...the poor who are desperate & spending their food/rent money and the rich for whom $50 a week is a drop in the bucket. 

DoctorEw220's avatarDoctorEw220

Hey guys,  Long time, no see.  Anyway, let me get this straight.  Is it kinda like, there will be one drawing of numbers, but for 3 games, one costing $1, one costing $2, and one costing $3?  Now if someone matches all 6 numbes on a $2 ticket, but not on a $1 or $3 ticket, do those jackpots still grow?

Todd's avatarTodd

Quote: Originally posted by DoctorEw220 on Mar 5, 2008

Hey guys,  Long time, no see.  Anyway, let me get this straight.  Is it kinda like, there will be one drawing of numbers, but for 3 games, one costing $1, one costing $2, and one costing $3?  Now if someone matches all 6 numbes on a $2 ticket, but not on a $1 or $3 ticket, do those jackpots still grow?

No, nothing like that.  It's just the same ole' game, but someone can pay to make the jackpot bigger for their ticket.

Todd's avatarTodd

Quote: Originally posted by justxploring on Mar 5, 2008

I agree with NYSlugger.  I think it's a terrible idea.  They are dangling a carrot in front of people, tempting them to spend more money on a game that has 1 in 23M odds.  If the lower tier prizes were increased, it might be different, but with $30 scratch-offs, $20 raffles and $3 Lotto tickets, soon the lottery will be only for 2 groups of people...the poor who are desperate & spending their food/rent money and the rich for whom $50 a week is a drop in the bucket. 

Well, if the Fla. Lottery must get more revenue, I guess the alternative would be that they make the game harder to win.  You'd probably hate that too.  But the difference is that you'd be forced to play that, vs. this option, which you can ignore.  Why on Earth hate something that has zero effect on you?  A waste of effort.  Save the hatred for something that affects you.  (My advice)

Nirvona

It seems to me that this method is just like the Powerplay with the Powerball....only difference is your are picking your extra..not the system. Am I wrong? I live in between SC and FL so I drive to both....but Fl has a win every other week..and it is not me, so I quit that route because SC is much closer. However, I do still go to SC, but never play the powerplay....cause I don't win there either. Still wishing.....on a star.....

justxploring's avatarjustxploring

 "Why on Earth hate something that has zero effect on you?  A waste of effort.  Save the hatred for something that affects you."   -- Todd

 

Todd, where did I use the word "hate?"   Please show me where I expressed any form of hatred? We're talking about a game here aren't we?  I honestly don't know what you mean. I only said it was a terrible idea IMO.  I didn't use the word hate anywhere in my post.  The only effect it has on me is if I win and wish I had spent another dollar or 2, which is exactly what the lottery is trying to do.  "Oh, I better spend another $2 just in case after all these years I finally hit it."   

Todd's avatarTodd

Quote: Originally posted by justxploring on Mar 5, 2008

 "Why on Earth hate something that has zero effect on you?  A waste of effort.  Save the hatred for something that affects you."   -- Todd

 

Todd, where did I use the word "hate?"   Please show me where I expressed any form of hatred? We're talking about a game here aren't we?  I honestly don't know what you mean. I only said it was a terrible idea IMO.  I didn't use the word hate anywhere in my post.  The only effect it has on me is if I win and wish I had spent another dollar or 2, which is exactly what the lottery is trying to do.  "Oh, I better spend another $2 just in case after all these years I finally hit it."   

You're right, you said "terrible".

I'm not sure why you would deem something "terrible" that has no effect on you personally.  If I had the option, I would personally choose to use it for numbers I had a good feeling about.  People play the same Pick 4 numbers 2, 3, 5, 10, or even 20 times.  Is that terrible too?  There is no difference that I can see, except that it's a better value for the dollar in this case.

ThatScaryChick's avatarThatScaryChick

Quote: Originally posted by Nirvona on Mar 5, 2008

It seems to me that this method is just like the Powerplay with the Powerball....only difference is your are picking your extra..not the system. Am I wrong? I live in between SC and FL so I drive to both....but Fl has a win every other week..and it is not me, so I quit that route because SC is much closer. However, I do still go to SC, but never play the powerplay....cause I don't win there either. Still wishing.....on a star.....

I agree that it seems kind of like a Powerplay or a Sizzler (Hot Lotto's version of Powerplay.) I can see the appeal of it, but if I was in that state, I probably would be one of those people who didn't really use it. I have a set budget to spend and it would be kind of a waste for me to spend $2 or $3 extra dollars on one play.

NYSlugger 777's avatarNYSlugger 777

Quote: Originally posted by DoctorEw220 on Mar 5, 2008

Hey guys,  Long time, no see.  Anyway, let me get this straight.  Is it kinda like, there will be one drawing of numbers, but for 3 games, one costing $1, one costing $2, and one costing $3?  Now if someone matches all 6 numbes on a $2 ticket, but not on a $1 or $3 ticket, do those jackpots still grow?

No youve got it totally wrong.Leaving

No there will be one drawing of numbers for one game.If you spend  a dollar on one game it will cost you $1.00 and the max amount of games playable with $1 is one.The max amount of games playable with $2 is two.Each game is one dollar if you can see the pattern.Yes 3 games is going to cost you 3 dollars "total" at one dollar for each game.Now its just an option but lets say you want to play only one game and you know for sure which numbers all 6 winning numbers will be.You tell the lottery agent the six numbers ,but with FLorida's new option you will be able to spend an extra dollar on the same exact ticket making the total cost of your one ticket 2 dollars.If your 6 numbers are drawn and you played them for a dollar only and didnt add the second dollar to the same ticket you would have 3 million.If you told your lotto agent you wanted to make the ticket cost 2 dollars for only one set of six numbers this adds 10 mil to the 3 mil you would of won had you spent only a dollar.So by spending two dollars on one ticket its basically adding a bonus amount of money to your first place prize win,so if the orignal jackpot was 3 mil and you had the 6 numbers and the extra dollar added to your one ticket to make the total cost two ,then you would win the orignal 3 million dollar prize plus A BONUS 10 MILLION for adding the extra dollar feature to your one ticket.Make one ticket cost a total of 3 dollars and you triple your jackpot win.This isnt a mandatory feature you can play the game regularly which would be you choose 6 numbers to play for tonights lotto draw and your cost is the normal one dollar per ticket.The adding extra one or two dollars to one game is only an option that can be done if you as a player choose to do so.

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